We present a methodology for automated forming of metal plates into freeformshapes using shot peening. The methodology is based on a simulation softwarethat computes the peening pattern and simulates the effect of its application.The pattern generation requires preliminary experimental characterizationof the treatment. The treatment is applied by a shot peening robot. The program for the robot is generated automatically according to the peening pattern. We validate the methodology with a series of tests. Namely, we form nine aluminum plates into doubly curved shapes and we also shape model airplane wing skins. The article describes the complete workflow and the experimental results.

This paper presents a novel mechanical design of a lower mobility remote center compliance linkage. This mechanism consists in three platforms connected by three legs with universal joints. Two of these platforms are attached to the ground while last one is the mobile platform. Using screw theory, it is first demonstrated that this mechanism allows its mobile platform to rotate around a fixed point in space without having a joint directly connected to this point. Indeed, knowing the mobility of the two former platforms, it is possible to define a wrench system for each leg and thus, find the reciprocal twist system of the mobile platform. Then, the results of the optimization of the mechanism’s design through a genetic algorithm is presented using the conditioning of its Jacobian matrix as a criterion. Finally, a compliant version of the mechanism is developed and a finite element analysis (FEA) simulation demonstrates the proper mobility of the system under typical loading scenarios.